Water security — assured access to safe and affordable water — is critical to a nation's development. A short dry spell during the growing season can devastate crops in the world's poorest regions, while floods threaten infrastructure and exacerbate disease. Researchers predict future increases in both rainfall variability and extreme weather events.

What are the likely consequences for water security in the developing world? And how can policymakers, water managers and local communities prepare for the challenges ahead?

Our free online spotlight brings together a group of global experts that:
• explain the links between climate change and water security;
• assess the certainty of water scarcity predictions and identify key knowledge gaps;
• highlight key cases of successful water management in the field; and
• provide practical advice to policymakers on the ground.